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Poems of the Week
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Jagger? I Don’t Even Know Her!
by Steven Kent
“Source close to Rolling Stones disputes Melania producer’s claim Mick Jagger ‘gave his blessing’ to use song”
—The Guardian
Melania needs a heavy hit,
But let us be on the level:
Gimme Shelter’s not as fit
As Sympathy for the Devil.
Noemesis
by Julia Griffin
“Trump removes DHS Secretary Kristi Noem after controversial tenure:
In his post, Trump praised Noem as having ‘served us well’ and praised her for ‘numerous and spectacular results (especially on the Border!’).’”
—The Washington Post
She built a face of plaster;
Her lips were rubber-coated;
But still she irked her master,
And now she’s been demoted.
Her record he’s defending;
No word of botch or bungle;
But now she’s apprehending
The ethics of the jungle.
The wolves that she’s been thrown to
Are ones she once insisted
No mercy should be shown to,
And gleefully delisted;
Now she herself’s de-POTUSed,
Whereon a thankless nation’s
In hopes the wolves have noticed
That dogs are their relations.
Back in Tabloids: Oops, She Did It Again
by Paul Lander
Britney, DUI.
Sources claim she’ll plead she’s not—
Not that innocent.
Giving Up the Bottle
by Marshall Begel
“’The rumors are true! I’m retiring and saying goodbye to the world of cleaning to pursue new hobbies,’ Mr. Clean said in a statement.”
—PennLive
He’s hanging up his plain white tee
and growing out his hair,
as Mr. Clean, retiree,
retracts his nom de guerre.
As mascot for his namesake brand,
he figured it was time
to let his ad campaign disband
and end his life of grime.
Perhaps there was some secret tryst
or other tabloid shocker—
was he revealed on Epstein’s list
or caught with Betty Crocker?
The reason for his abdication
is likely unsurprising:
a tactic of a corporation
to get free advertising.
Taking Stock
by Steven Urquhart Bell
“At 81 I’m an amateur investor with £370K in stocks. What should my next move be?”
—The Telegraph
Considering you’re 81,
I’d sell them all and have some fun.
Quatrain Written while Standing in Line at Starbucks and Reading the Announcement of the New Spring Menu Drinks, in the Form of an Exchange that Occurred in the Emergency Executive Meeting at Starbucks Headquarters Earlier This Year (Or: Now Pumps the Purple Powder, Now the Green)
by Daniel Galef
They’re tired of matcha?
Gotcha!
We’ll give ’em a new bae!
Ube?
The Upper Hand
by Stephen Gold
“Why Hendrix, Churchill and Bowie had a helping hand to success”
—The Times
Though being a left-hander
May help one to compete,
I tell you in all candor,
Not so with two left feet!
(For more witty poems, read our current issue or visit our Poems of the Week archive)

